Plastic containers with lids such as disposable plastic containers are well known. There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,017 to Gonclaves a combination of a row of containers and a strip of caps, each of the containers and caps being respectively joined by breakable links allowing the joined strip of caps to be placed on necks of the joined row of containers by a translational movement parallel to the axes of the containers. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,349 to Wojcik et al.; French patents 2 763 314 of APRI and 1 278 149 of GOIFFON.
Disposable articles are used as food containers as is seen, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,971 to Cozzi et al. In the '971 patent there is disclosed a compartmented container of the “clam shell” class suitable for containing food. The container or package in one embodiment includes a first or bottom compartment and a second or top compartment that is hinged to the first compartment. There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,133 to Johnson a package and container for eggs. The container defines a plurality of compartments each of a configuration to hold an egg captive, each portion of the container defining a respective single compartment being connected with the remainder along lines of weakening, perforation or the like.
Containers arranged in arrays with breakable or tearable portions between them are seen in a number of references. In this respect, German Patent DE 100 12 364 of von der Worth discloses separable egg cartons arranged in a planar array. See also DE 100 12 364; FR 2 763 314; and FR 1 278 149.
There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,535 to Berk et al. disposable mixing wells. Wells are formed as a unitary sheet of individual mixing wells arranged in rows and columns. The boundary between each mixing well is scored, perforated or otherwise made to allow individual pieces to be removed from the sheet. Preferably, the mixing wells may be pressure formed rather than being vacuum formed.
There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,263 to St. Pierre et al. a multi-container package with individually removable containers. The package includes several individually sealed containers which are easily separable from one another by weakened zones between adjacent containers. Each container includes a tab portion over which the peel tab of the lid extends. Dimples in either the peel tab or tab portion facilitate their separation. Several multi-container packages are manufactured as a unit using a die and conventional heat sealing process and then are separated from one another by transverse cuts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,127 to Stratford et al. is directed to a multi-pack container assembly. The multi-pack assembly includes a plurality of containers and webs joining the containers, each web configured to include an area of reduced structural integrity for tearing a plurality of frangible ribs interconnecting adjacent containers and traversing the tearing area.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,620 to Lane, Sr. discloses a fluted product cup. The cup, suitable for food packaging is formed from a resilient material and has an integral body having a product reservoir and a lip. The product reservoir includes a flat bottom wall and a continuous sidewall integrally joined together about a smooth curve. The sidewall extends upwardly from the bottom wall to join the lip. The joint between the lip and the sidewall continuously surrounds and defines an opening through the lip to the interior of the reservoir. The lip extends in a plane outwardly from this opening completely around the periphery of this opening. The bottom wall is essentially circular in shape and the opening is essentially a square shape. First, second, third and fourth fluted areas are located in the sidewall at the corners of the squarish shaped opening at the top of the containers. Each of the fluted areas are shaped essentially as a conical surface generated from a cone which is truncated by a plane about a parabolic intersection of the plane with the cone. These containers may be formed in an array as can be seen in the patent.
With respect to containers which may be separated, the following references are also of interest. French Patent No. 1,392,947 to Skandinavisk; German Patent No. DE 26 53 906 to Gizeh-Werk and British Provisional Specification No. 649,541 to Stephenson.
It is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,553 to Hovatter an integral assembly of microcentrifuge strip tubes having independently tethered caps and angularly related seal caps.
Food containers having sealing features are likewise well known. In this respect, ridges and cooperating grooves are used in many such containers. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,860 to Littlejohn et al.
While the container art is plentiful, there remain largely unresolved issues with respect to lidded containers of low cost that can exhibit superior sealing characteristics, even at low product weight. This is especially so with respect to containers having straight brim segments. Simply making a “tighter” fit between the lid and its associated container or receptacle is ineffective since the increase in the required capping force will crush the container, leading to product failure in too many instances as well as associated spillage.
Likewise, existing containers, especially relatively small containers, are difficult to individually fill and seal, making the process prohibitively time consuming or requiring equipment and skills not generally available at homes, catering establishments and restaurants.